in the morning," corrected the mother.

"Well, den, leth's do down any way," pleaded the child.

"But try and think what meal we have in the morning," urged mamma.

"I know," said the toddler, brightening up.

"What meal do we have in the morning?"

"Oatmeal. Tum on; leth's do."--_Sel._

Seneca, writing to a friend of his frugal fare which he declares
does not cost a sixpence a day, says:--

"Do you ask if that can supply due nourishment? Yes; and pleasure
too. Not indeed, that fleeting and superficial pleasure which needs
to be perpetually recruited, but a solid and substantial one. Bread
and polenta certainly is not a luxurious feeding, but it is no
little advantage to be able to receive pleasure from a simple diet
of which no change of fortune can deprive one."

Breakfast: Come to breakfast!
Little ones and all,--
How their merry footsteps
Patter at the call!
Break the bread; pour freely
Milk that cream-like flows;
A blessing on their appetites
And on their lips of rose.

Dinner may be pleasant
So may the social tea,
But yet, methinks the breakfast
Is best of all the three.
With its greeting smile of welcome,
Its holy voice of prayer,
It forgeth heavenly armor
To foil the hosts of care.

--_Mrs. Sigourney._

Health is not quoted in the markets because it is without
price.--_Sel._

It is a mistake to think that the more a man eats, the fatter and
stronger he will become.--_Sel._

DESSERTS

Custom has so long established the usage of finishing the dinner with a
dessert of some kind, that a _menu_ is considered quite incomplete
without it; and we shall devote the next few pages to articles which may
be deemed appropriate and healthful desserts, not because we consider
the dessert itself of paramount importance, for indeed we do not think
it essential to life or even to good living, but because we hope the
hints and suggestions which our space permits, may aid the housewife in
preparing more wholesome, inexpensive dishes in lieu of the indigestible
articles almost universally used for this purpose.

We see no objection to the use of a dessert, if the articles offered are
wholesome, and are presented before an abundance has already been taken.
As usually served, the dessert is but a "snare and delusion" to the
digestive organs. Compounded of